• Economic and Environmental Geology
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.425-430
• /
• 1998

The results of radon $(^{222}Rn)$ concentrations and working levels (WL) for forty rooms in Kwanak Campus, Seoul National University on granite bedrock of Jurassic age showed that radon concentration have mean value of 3.0 pCi/L and 0.011 for working level. A number of rooms where these values exceed the EPA's action level are five (13%). It was also suggested that indoor basement rooms in poor ventilation condition can be classified as extremely high radon risk zone having more than 4 pCi/L and 0.020 WL. It was proved that inflow of soil-gas was a primary factor that governs indoor radon level by comparison of soil-gas radon concentrations with indoor radon concentrations.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.151-160
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was to compare the mineral status of postmenopausal vegetarian women with those of the omnivores, and to investigate the relationship between dietary pattern and minerals status in postmenopausal Korean women. The research group was composed of vegetarian women (n = 38), all of them were seven day adventists, who had been on vegetarian diet over 20 yrs. Their anthropometric measurements, dietary intakes, and blood mineral concentrations were compared to age matched omnivores controls (n = 38). The average age of vegetarians and omnivores were 60.7 yrs and 60.5 yrs, respectively and there was no significant difference. The mean daily energy intake of vegetarians and omnivores were 1518.5 kcal and 1355.5 kcal, respectively and their was no significant difference. The mean calcium intake of vegetarians (492.6 mg) was not significantly different from that of omnivores (436.6 mg). The vegetarians consumed significantly greater quantities of magnesium (p < 0.001), iron (p < 0.001), copper (p < 0.001), manganese (p < 0.001) and dietary fiber (p < 0.05). There were no significantly differences in serum calcium, magnesium and manganese levels between vegetarians and omnivores. However, serum levels of phosphorus (p < 0.01), iron (p < 0.05), ferritin (p < 0.01), zinc (p < 0.001) and copper (p < 0.05) were significantly lower than those of omnivores. In conclusion, vegetarian postmenopausal women may have low bioavailability of iron, zinc and copper. Therefore it was needed that further study on mineral bioavailability of vegetarian diet. (Korean J Nutrition 38(2): 151～160, 2005)

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.4 no.6
• /
• pp.507-514
• /
• 2010

Vitamin K intake has been reported as an essential factor for bone formation. The current study was conducted under the hypothesis that insufficient vitamin K intake would affect inflammatory markers and bone mineral density in young adult women. The study was a cross-sectional design that included 75 women in their 20s. Physical assessments, bone mineral density measurements, 24-hr dietary recalls, and biochemical assessments for high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and percentages of undercarboxylated osteocalcin (%ucOC) were performed. An analysis of vitamin K nutritional status was performed comparing first, second, and third tertiles of intake based on %ucOC in plasma. Vitamin K intake levels in the first, second, and third tertiles were $94.88{\pm}51.48\;{\mu}g$, $73.85{\pm}45.15\;{\mu}g$, and $62.58{\pm}39.92\;{\mu}g$, respectively (P < 0.05). The T-scores of the first and third tertiles were 1.06 and -0.03, respectively, indicating that bone mineral density was significantly lower in the group with lower vitamin K intake (P < 0.05). There was a tendency for different serum hs-CRP concentrations between the first ($0.04{\pm}0.02$) and third tertiles ($0.11{\pm}0.18$), however this was not statistically significant. Regression analysis was performed to identify the correlations between vitamin K nutritional status, inflammatory markers, and bone mineral density after adjusting for age and BMI. Serum hs-CRP concentrations were positively correlated with vitamin K deficiency status (P < 0.05). And bone mineral density, which was represented by speed, was negatively correlated with vitamin K deficiency status (P < 0.05). In conclusion, status of vitamin K affects inflammatory status and bone formation. Therefore, sufficient intake of vitamin K is required to secure peak bone mass in young adult women.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.12
• /
• pp.1860-1868
• /
• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of optimal trace mineral levels on the physiological responses, reproductive performance, litter performance, blood profiles and milk composition in gestating sows. Methods: A total of 59 multiparous sows (Yorkshire×Landrace) with similar body weight (BW), backfat thickness (BF), and parity were assigned to one of four treatments with 14 or 15 sows per treatment using a completely randomized design. The treatments were 100% (M1), 300% (M3), 600% (M6), and 900% (M9) of the National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Swine. During lactation period, all the sows were fed the same commercial lactation diet. Results: No significant differences were observed in the BW, BF, reproductive performance, milk composition, or growth performance of the piglets. On day 70 of gestation, the serum zinc concentration showed a quadratic response to M6 treatment (quadratic, p<0.05). Moreover, as the dietary mineral levels increased, the zinc concentration increased linearly at 110 days of gestation (linear, p<0.05). Furthermore, copper and iron concentrations in the serum of sows at 24 h postpartum decreased linearly when high levels of dietary minerals were provided (linear, p<0.05). In the serum of piglets, serum zinc concentrations decreased linearly (linear, p<0.05), and iron concentration showed a quadratic response (quadratic, p<0.05) with an increase in trace mineral premix levels in gestation diets. Conclusion: The current trace mineral requirements of NRC (2012) are suitable for gestating sows, and the addition of dietary mineral levels in the gestating diet did not show any improvements during the gestation and lactation periods.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
• /
• 2005.10a
• /
• pp.174-175
• /
• 2005

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.8
• /
• pp.1139-1147
• /
• 2006

This study was conducted to evaluate the trace elemental nutritive values of soil and forages collected from southwestern part of the province of Punjab, Pakistan. Soil and forage samples were collected fortnightly for two seasons. The concentrations of some trace minerals varied greatly among seasons and sampling periods. Seasonal effects were found in all soil micro-minerals except zinc, while forage iron, zinc, and selenium were affected by seasonal changes. Sampling periods effects were observed in all soil minerals and in forage copper, iron, zinc, and manganese only. All soil mineral levels except cobalt and selenium were sufficiently high to meet the requirements of plants for normal growth during both seasons. In contrast, soil Co and Se levels were severely deficient during both seasons and considered inadequate for plant growth. Soil Fe, Zn, Co, and Se levels were higher, and Cu and Mn lower during winter than those during summer. Forage Zn levels during summer were at marginal deficient levels, and in contrast, all other forage micro-minerals were within the required range for ruminants during both seasons. Although forage mico-minerals were within the range required by the ruminants, they were not sufficiently high to prevent the predisposition to various diseases caused by nutrient deficiency. Consequently, grazing animals at this location need continued mineral supplementation of these elements with a mixtures of high bio-availability rather than of high micro-mineral contents to support optimum ruminant productivity.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.171-177
• /
• 2004

This study was performed to investigate the effects of liquid culture of Agaricus blazei Murill on the weight gains, food efficiency ratios, serum protein and mineral levels, and serum enzyme activities in growing male rats. Sprague-Dawley rats (7 weeks old) were given four different types of diets for a succeeding period of 6 weeks, respectively: a normal diet group, a control diet group (normal diet + 15％ lard + 0.5％ cholesterol), a 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diet groups (control diet + 30％ or 40％ A. blazei in water) according to the levels of A. blazei supplementation. The body weight gains, food efficiency ratios, and the liver of the rats fed control diet, 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diets were significantly increased compared to rats fed the normal diet, but those of rats fed the 30％ and 40％ A. blazei diets were similar to those of rats fed the control diet. The concentrations of total protein, albumin, glucose, and hematocrit value in serum of rats fed the control diet, 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diets were similar to those of rats fed the normal diet. The concentrations of urea and creatinine in serum of rats fed the 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diets were similar to those of rats fed the control diet. but the urea of rats fed the 30％ and 40％ A. blazei diets were significantly decreased compared to rats fed the normal diet. The concentrations of Ca, P, Fe and Mg, and $Ca^{++}$, $K^+$, $Na^+$ and $Cl^-$ of rats fed the control diet, 30％ or 40％ A. blazei diets were similar to those of rats fed the normal diet. There were no differences in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, $\gamma$-glutamyltranspeptidase and alkaline phosphatase in the serum among the experimental groups. In conclusion, the rats fed the A. blazei maintained normal protein and mineral levels, and enzyme activities of serum. But the A. blazei feeding could not decrease the body and liver weights in the rats fed high cholesterol diets.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.63-71
• /
• 2011

The mineral phases precipitated in the swamp built for the treatment of the mine drainage of the Dalsung Mine were investigated to reveal the mineralogical changes from schwertmannite to goethite and related behavior of heavy metals. Our XRD results show that most schwertmannite were transformed to goethite except the small portions of the samples in the uppermost part. No significant morphological changes were observed in the samples during mineral transformation by SEM, indicating that this transformation process occurred not from dissolution-precipitation process, but in solid state. Among heavy metals sorbed or coprecipitated in the mineral phases, Pb and Cu concentrations were relatively higher compared with their concentrations in the mine drainage. The relative concentrations of other heavy metals show similar values. The heavy metal concentration in the minerals do not show noticeable differences from uppermost schwertmannite to lower goethite samples, indicating the transformation process without any leaching or additional sorption of heavy metals in the solid state.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.167-174
• /
• 2023

Phosphorus (P) is a macro mineral needed for bone mineralization and cell membrane structure and P is also involved in several fundamental pathways of metabolism in the body. Because of the low concentration and digestibility of P in plant ingredients that are the main components of diets for poultry and pigs, feed phosphates are usually included in diets in addition to the P contributed by plant ingredients. The most widely used feed phosphates in poultry and swine diets are dicalcium phosphate (DCP) and monocalcium phosphate (MCP), but tricalcium phosphate (TCP), monosodium phosphate (MSP), and magnesium phosphate (MgP) may be used as well. Because feed phosphates are mostly produced from rock phosphate, feed phosphates have impurities that contain minerals other than P. Concentrations of P in feed phosphates range from 14.8% (MgP) to 25.7% (MSP). The standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P in pigs ranges from 71% (TCP) to 95% (MSP). The STTD of Ca and the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of P and Ca in feed phosphates fed to pigs and poultry have been determined only in a few experiments. Available data indicate that the STTD of Ca and SID of P in MCP are greater than in DCP in both poultry and pigs, but the SID of Ca is similar between DCP and MCP fed to broilers. Information on mineral concentrations and digestibility values in feed phosphates is needed in diet formulation for pigs and poultry, but if diets are formulated to contain equal concentrations of digestible P and Ca, it is unlikely that animal performance will be impacted by the source of feed phosphates used in the diet.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.495-508
• /
• 2019

We measured the concentrations of natural radionuclides (uranium and radon) and major elements in groundwater collected from forty wells located in Wonju area to investigate the hydrochemistry and the occurrence of these radionuclides. The range of electrical conductivity (EC) value in the study area was 73~400 μS/cm. In addition to the increase of EC value, the content of cations and anions also tends to increase. Uranium concentrations ranged from 0.06~50.5 ㎍/L (median value, 1.55 ㎍/L) and radon concentrations ranged from 67~8,410 pCi/L (median value, 1,915 pCi/L). Uranium concentrations in 3 well, 7.5% of the samples, exceeded 30 ㎍/L, the maximum contaminant level (MCL) proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), based on the chemical toxicity of uranium. Radon concentrations in 9 wells, 22.5% of the samples, and 1 well, 2.2% of the samples, exceeded 4,000 pCi/L (AMCL of the US EPA) and 8,100 pCi/L (Finland's guideline level), respectively. Concentrations of uranium and radon related to geology of the study area showd the highest values in groundwater of the biotite granite area. Uranium and radon contents in the groundwater are comparatively low compared to those in other countries with similar geological settings. It is likely that the measured value was lower than the actual content due to the inflow of shallow groundwater by the lack of casing and grouting.